Rowing shells, consisting primarily of rowing boats and sculling boats, are moved through the water by oars. The oars transmit the power of the rower to the water, drawing on strength and proper motions primarily from legs, arms, and back. The speed of the shell is determined by strength, technique, and the efficiency of the transmission of the rower's power through the oar to the water.
Among other things, the transmission of the rower's power is dependent on the relationship of the oar to the surface of the water. The vertical angle of the rowlock, which controls the orientation of the blade of the oar, is important and dependent on water and wind conditions.
Various means have been suggested for improving the adjustability of rowlocks so as to increase the efficiency of the operation of boats that are powered by rowers. See, generally, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,898,950; 4,516,941; 4,889,509; 5,324,218; and 5,474,008.
These patents do not, however, disclose the use of rowlocks which may be readily adjusted in the water so as to accommodate the variations in water conditions.
The design and construction of most known rigging is such that adjusting the angle of the rowlock requires a relatively complex sequence of adjustments.
Sections of the rowlock must be partially or fully disassembled, then reassembled to make an adjustment to the angle of the rowlock. These adjustments usually require simple hand tools.
Frequently, adjusting the angle of the rowlock is a trial and error process until the right pitch is found for the water conditions.
Because of the difficulty in making such adjustments, they are normally made on land prior to placing the rowing shell in the water, or they are not made at all because it is not practical to make such adjustments each time water conditions change.
There remains, therefore, a need for an effective means for manually adjusting rowlock angle while a rowing shell is in the water in order to provide for efficient use of the power generated by the rower.